I realized it’s been a while since I’ve posted some recent work . . . so here’s Natalie’s business cards – hot off the press! These are being delivered this weekend, so I can’t wait any longer to share! These cards were printed on heavy, satin paper – the photo just doesn’t do it justice.

Hello everyone! It’s Friday and the weather is beautiful. Who could ask for anything more?!? Bob is heading to the Final Four game in Indianapolis, so it will just be me and the fam for Easter! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

This post is for my friend Tickled Red so she can laugh at my terrible, black thumb. This poor little ivy (?) plant has been mine for about 2 years or so. It was broken off this beautiful, HUGE, 10 year old plant and given to me as a gift from B’s Aunt, who has since passed away. I was given two branches . . . one which died a few months ago, so I’ve been desperately trying to keep this guy alive. I went to transplant it into fresh, new soil this weekend – but realized it’s roots were seriously lacking. So for now, it’s living in a cup of water and I’m keeping my fingers crossed it grows more roots and turns out to be big and beautiful.

One of my New Year’s Resolutions/Goals was to try to work out and exercise more. Honestly, I think I’ve been doing pretty well. Usually I get bored quickly with the same workout routine, but I’ve tried really hard to mix things up with running (inside & outside), yoga, classes at the gym, cardio and strength training. Recently I came across the Tracy Anderson Workout method (she trains Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow ) and I’m in love. The unique exercises mixing dance, cardio and stationary moves are awesome. I love finding different exercises and the arm/shoulder workout below (even thought its only a few minutes) really works!

My darling little brother turned 22 a few weeks ago and to celebrate, we took him for Korean BBQ. Until a few years ago, I was skeptical about Korean food. I’d never even tried it until I started dating Bob (who’s half Korean). For one of our first meals together he made this Korean dish and I thought, “How am I going to eat that?” while staring at cold, white noodles with this bright, red sauce. Being the polite, new girlfriend, I forced it down – but didn’t enjoy it at all. “Great” I thought to myself…..”how am I going to date a guy who’s Korean, if I don’t even like Korean food? Ugh.”

My second experience with Korean food was much, much better. Bob look me for Korean BBQ and simply put – it was amazing! The bulgogi (marinated ribeye, sliced thin) and galbi (same marinade, but short ribs instead) were to die for. The waitress brings out the meat and grills it right in front of you at your table! There are tons of sides to add onto the meat, you plop it into a lettuce leaf, roll it up and enjoy!

Anyway, ever since then, I promised my parents and brother we’d take them for Korean BBQ and Kevin’s birthday was a perfect excuse. If you ever have the chance to grab Korean BBQ, you must, even if it’s just once. If you have gone before, where was your favorite place?

New York, where I live, has the best pizza. Everyone knows that (except, possibly, people who live in Chicago).

From Motorino, to Di Fara, to Grimaldi’s, to one of my personal neighborhood favorites, Not Ray’s, it is all delicious and readily available. So why would you ever want to make your own?

Well, maybe I’m a dork, but I think it’s kind of fun. You can roll dough, mess with yeast, and control exactly how much cheese, sauce, and other toppings you use. It’s also probably a bit less expensive.

I’ve been trying to make pizza that actually tastes good for years, and have failed many times. It’s not easy. But I’ve finally settled on a fool-proof recipe for one of my favorite versions, white pizza, and I think it’s time to share.

White Pizza with Spinach, Artichokes and Mushrooms

For the dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 ounce instant yeast

3/4 to 1 cup warm water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the bowl

For the pizza:

1/2 cup fresh ricotta (I use whole milk, you could probably use part-skim)

Make the dough by putting the flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor and mixing until combined (you can do this by hand, but get ready to use some arm muscle). Add the water, starting with 3/4 cup and olive oil and mix until it all comes together in a ball. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour; too dry, add a little more warm water. Put the ball of dough in a lightly oiled bowl, and let it rise in a warm place for at least 30 minutes (longer, like an hour or two, is even better).

In the meantime, press or squeeze the water out of the spinach and mix it and the chopped artichoke hearts with the ricotta. Cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat in a little olive oil until they’ve released their water (otherwise, they’ll make the pizza soggy).

Preheat the oven to 500. When the dough is ready, roll it out to the thickness you like, brush it with some olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt, and put it in the oven on a sheet pan (or pizza stone, if you have one – I don’t) to firm up a bit, about 5 minutes. Pull it out and lightly coat it with the minced garlic, then spread on the ricotta/spinach/artichoke mixture, the mushrooms and mozzarella. Return it to the oven to continue baking directly on the lower rack for about 5 – 10 minutes. You may need to rotate it so it cooks evenly.

Hello friends. The gorgeous weather on the East Coast is making me so happy! Yesterday I took a break from working just to enjoy the sunshine, hope you did too! Oh yes, and I hope everyone enjoyed their St. Patty’s Day. I didn’t get to celebrate – so I hope you drank an extra green beer for me!

Hey there! Just wanted to wish everyone a happy weekend! The sunshine earlier in the week was too good to be true – rain’s in the forecast until for at least the next few days. Stay dry and enjoy your weekend!

Hi friends! Did everyone have a good weekend? I’m feeling so refreshed after a nice 4 mile walk on the C&O Canal yesterday. After being couped up in the house for what feels like months, it was such great way to wrap up the weekend.

Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I came across the most beautiful boutonnieres last week from Peppermint Cloud and couldn’t resist sharing. I love these for an alternate idea to the traditional flower boutonnieres. The colorful fabric, twine and ribbon in these little guys are so lovely.

Hi guys! I know sometimes I don’t really give a glimpse of my personal life all too much, so here’s one thing to share. Alongside my amazing boyfriend, family and friends, this is the other love of my life – Lucky, my miniature dachshund.

He’s stubborn and getting grouchy in his old age, but I just love this little guy. Speaking of weiner dogs, I found these today:

Ok, I admit it. I’m a really messy cook. It doesn’t make sense to me because when it comes to my actual work (graphic design) I’m very precise and neat. However, for some reason when it comes to cooking I’m a total slob. I drop stuff all over the floor, I spill things – basically the kitchen is a disaster. So for the past few months, I’ve been searching high and love for the perfect apron. I found some at Anthro that I adore, but I was hoping to find something I equally love from Etsy. Today I hit the jackpot when I came arcoss pamwares!

As most of you know, the East Coast last week was basically at a stand still because of the crazy blizzard we had. I haven’t been to work since last Thursday and at this point, I’m going a little nuts. However, thankfully this has given me a chance to catch up on some freelance, finish up my website (almost finished!!) and make lots of yummy food.

As you all know by now, the entire East Coast is calling for a major, “paralyzing” snow storm today and tomorrow with record snow accumulations. Being the food obsessed person I am, I went to the grocery store to stock up so I could keep myself entertained if when I’m stuck in the house. (Blondies, Butternut Squash Ravioli, Sweet Potato & Black Bean Quesadilas Chicken Enchilidas and Chick Pea Croquettes are just a few items on the menu – yum)

I can’t figure out the overall freak out everyone has before a snow storm. My first grocery destination was totally out of produce, milk and shopping carts. I quickly moved on to the next grocery store which had much less of a crowd, but was still almost bare when it came to the essentials. Luckily they still had a full stock of wonton wrappers.

Hello everyone! I hope you’re having a fabulous week. Mine has been spent gearing myself up for a huge deadline I’ve going on. I don’t want to spill the beans just yet – but I have something very exciting coming up.

I attended a Bridal Show this past weekend with one of my newly engaged girlfriends, Jess. I’ve never attended a Bridal Show before, so it was quite a learning experience for me. Over the past few years I’ve gotten more and more involved and interested in the wedding business. I’ve grown to learn that I really enjoy designing for weddings, so the show was sort of a test. I think that after the current weddings I’m working on now are complete (I just took on two more, I’m do excited!) than I’m going to consider setting up a booth at a bridal show…..well, someday.

Hi everyone! I hope you’re enjoying your Friday! I had some unexpected travels this week, so I apologize for the blog delay. Don’t worry though, photography week will spill over to next week as well. I have so much more fun stuff to share!

Here in another of my all time favorite photographers, Michelle Anderson of Pinkletoes. You will see from her images that she is so beyond talented, it’s not even funny. Her images capture so much emotion and love from the families and couples she photographs. I can’t begin to explain what a inspiration she is to me.

You guys know I love food and photography, so this next artist is such a wonderful mix of both. Erin of fresh365, a website I visit daily, not only has wonderful recipes, but also gorgeous photography to go along with it. Feast your eyes on these beautiful images:

Today I’m going to share the first of several photographer’s that I look to for inspiration. Photography has always inspired me. When I was younger, I carried a disposable camera (ha, remember those?!) on me at all times. In junior high I upgraded to a vcr sized digital camera (seriously, I still have it. I think it weights 12 pounds) and since then I’ve gone through numerous point and shoots and a few years ago, feel in love with the NikonD90 SLR camera. Today, thanks to a special someone I have my very own Canon Rebel XSI. Oh, I also forgot those 2 years of black and white photography when I was in college. Honestly, I wish I would have pursued photography a little more, but graphic design stole my heart. Anyway, today I’m highlighting Erin Hearts Court, a creative husband and wife duo. Together they have their own wedding photography business, but Courtney also designs beautiful stationery and Erin does commercial photography as well. What a talented pair. Don’t forget to visit their blog too!

Good Morning!! So, because I’m so in love with my new SLR camera, I can’t stop reading photography blogs for inspiration and tips to take better images. Starting Monday will begin my “photographers” week. Check back everyday for a new inspiring artist. Do you have a favorite photographer or photography resource? If so – please share!

This week flew by, didn’t it? I can’t believe it’s already Friday! Lots of fun stuff planned this weekend; hot yoga tonight followed by sushi with friends, another birthday dinner and relaxing catching up on some freelance Sunday! So, while you’re sipping some coffee tomorrow, check out this awesome online shop I found: Sprout Home. They carry KOBO candles (which are my favorite), Pantone Mugs, awesome pottery and tons of other home goodies. There are two locations, Chicago and Brooklyn, so if you’re close – check it out.

Hi guys – hope you are having a great week! Sorry for being MIA yesterday, I’ve been swamped trying to catch up from taking this past weekend off. Anywayyy, so onto the birthday. First, my darling boyfriend organized a surprise dinner with all of my friends Saturday night which was so sweet. The previous evening he took me to dinner and surprised me with this:

Yayyy!! I am super excited about my new digital SLR. I can’t wait to take a zillion photos.

B also had two of our good friends from Philly surprise me for dinner…..along with Mandy and her boyfriend Chance, who made the trip up from Harrisonburg. (Mandy owns The Yellow Button, a amazing clothing boutique which I do the graphic design for.) Being the fashionista she is, Mandy surprised me with this beautiful Free People sweater:

My parents gave me a new pair of cozy Ugg boots and together with my brother made me an amazing dinner.

My bro, who is quite an extraordinary cook, gave me this:

Hmmmm lots of yummy food and beautiful photography.

So besides the good company, great food and thoughtful gifts from my friends and family – I had an amazing birthday.

Man, what a wonderful weekend. So much good food, great times with friends and so many thoughtful gifts. I will do a full recap on the birthday tomorrow, but I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who sent me emails and left posts wishing me a happy birthday – it truly meant so much.

On another note, the website I’ve been working on for the event planning and design boutique, All Buttoned-Up, finally went LIVE today!!! Yayyy!! Congrats to Natalie, may you start making your millions. xo.

I can’t think of a better way to start this freezing Monday than with some warm, comfort food – thanks to my special guest blogger, Arielle.

I was super excited when Jess asked me to guest post on Sublime Design. First of all, she’s lovely, as is this blog, but more importantly (sorry Jess!) I like food and I like to write. I’m much too lazy to have my own blog, so hijacking hers every once in a while is a nice little arrangement for me.

For ages, I’ve been wanting to make ravioli, but I don’t have a pasta maker nor the arm strength to hand roll. Enter wonton wrappers, the lazy girl’s ravioli. You can buy them at any grocery store – except for most of the ones near me, I had to go to a specialty store because supermarkets are not Brooklyn’s fine point – and they make this recipe so easy.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

For the ravioli:

1 small to medium butternut squash

1 package wonton wrappers

.25 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1 T butter

Couple splashes of half and half (or milk)

olive oil

2 cloves garlic,wholeFor the sauce:

3 – 4 sage leaves, torn

1 cup half and half

2 T butter

1.5 cups mushrooms, any kind, stems removed (if necessary) and sliced

Directions:

Cut the butternut squash in half, remove the seeds, and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast both cloves of garlic and squash, skin up, in a 425 degree oven for about 40 – 50 minutes, depending on the size (to speed up the process, you can start the squash in the microwave for five minutes or so, then move to the oven). Once tender, use spoon to scoop the squash out of the skin and into a bowl or blender. Add butter, roasted garlic, cheese, salt and pepper to taste and blend (or mash by hand). Add enough half and half or milk so that it’s the consistency of mashed potatoes. Set aside, which, if you live in an apartment with approximately one foot of counter space, means put it on your bookshelf.

Set a pot of water on to boil. Begin separating the wonton wrappers, keeping them moist with a little water if needed. Scoop about a tablespoon of squash into the center of a wrapper, wet the edges with water or egg wash, and layer another wrapper on top, making sure the edges are tightly sealed.

Once the water is boiling, throw some salt and olive oil in, then gently place the wontons in as quickly as you can without tearing them. Boil for five minutes, then scoop out with a slotted spoon into serving dish. (If you try to drain them in a colander, they’ll tear. Trust me on this one.) In the meantime, make the sauce by adding the butter, mushrooms, and sage to a pan.

Once the water is boiling, throw some salt and olive oil in, then gently place the wontons in as quickly as you can without tearing them. Boil for five minutes, then scoop out with a slotted spoon into serving dish. (If you try to drain them in a colander, they’ll tear. Trust me on this one.) In the meantime, make the sauce by adding the butter, mushrooms, and sage to a pan.

Once the mushrooms are cooked through, add the half and half and cook down slightly. Salt and pepper to taste. Top the ravioli with the sauce and eat.

I happen to eat a lot, so I’m not really sure how many average people this would serve. My guess would be about four, depending on how big your squash is. Enjoy!

It’s cold outside. I mean downright freezing. For me, it’s so hard to get motivated in the winter. I don’t know what it is. Regardless, I found these adorable motivational cards to share. A perfect way to end the week. Have a great weekend.

Hello there everyone! I have something new and exciting to share. Over the holidays I decided I wanted to mix things up a little and make a few additions to this little blog of mine. So, starting this month, I have asked my dear friend (and amazing cook) Arielle to make some guest appearances and share some of her amazing recipes with you. I hope you enjoy!

I was early birthday window shopping this weekend at one of my favorite stores , anthropologie, and I came across these amazing cookbooks: The Illustrated Kitchen Bible and The Illustrated Quick Cook. These beautiful, photo-filled books have a picture of every finished dish, categories grouped by main ingredient, and tons of time-saving, streamlining tips to help you simplify your routine and turn out utterly tasty dishes. I need these in my life. Do you have a favorite go -to cookbook?

Etsy is an amazing tool and outlet for you crafty and creative folks out there. However, I understand some people may be a little apprehensive to take the plunge and open up a shop. If you are looking for some advice, check out this amazing article over at Jean Chatzky’s blog today.

A few months ago when my friend Arielle was visiting from New York, she gave me some nunu chocolates as a gift. Little did she know, she introduced me to something new – salted chocolate. Well, salt caramels to be exact. Sweet, salty & delicious. You must buy some – today.

I know I said I wouldn’t be back until after the New Year, but I just couldn’t help myself. On the way to work this morning I was thinking about goals for 2010. What I want to do, what I need to give up, etc. etc. So, here’s what’s on my mind right now. What are your goals/resolutions for 2010?

Hello everyone! No regular post today, just a warm wish that you and your families have a wonderful holiday season. Thanks so much to all of you who follow this little blog – I’ve really enjoyed sharing my ideas, inspiration, design and invitations over the past year and I can’t wait to share more in 2010!

﻿I hope to share some new things with you when we return, a site redesign is in the works and new design work is in process – so lots to share in 2010! Until then, I will be spending time with my family & friends, enjoying lots of holiday food, drinking an enormous amount of hot chocolate, playing in the snow (hopefully) and taking a break from the online world. Thanks again to all who have been following and to those new faces that have found us! See you in 2010!

I wanted to do something small for each of my coworkers, so I decided to make everyone hot cocoa mix. I purchased a set of inexpensive mason jars, marshmallows and hot cocoa mix. The original plan was to make my own hot chocolate, but once I realized how big the container of dry milk was (which I will never use ever again) I opted to settle for the pre-made version. Hey, it’s the thought that counts right? Anyway, I designed a quick tag and tied it with a rustic ribbon. Very simple, thoughtful and inexpensive.

Hey everyone! I’m finally back to work today, whooo hooo. I can’t belive that we only have 3 days until Christmas – so exciting!! I hope all of you finished your holiday shopping! My dear boyfriend just started last night….silly guy. I destinctly remember him telling me last year (when he procrastinated just as much), “Don’t let me do this again, remind me to start shopping in November!” Wellll, unfortunatley that didn’t happen. Hopefully we will have better luck next year. Anyway, I hope everyone is having a good week. Tonight it’s time to wrap some gifts!